10 U.S. Code § 1074m - Mental health assessments for members of the armed forces deployed in support of a contingency operation

(1)The Secretary of Defense shall provide a person-to-person mental health assessment for each member of the armed forces who is deployed in support of a contingency operation as follows:

(A)Once during the period beginning 120 days before the date of the deployment.

(B)Once during the period beginning 90 days after the date of redeployment from the contingency operation and ending 180 days after such redeployment date.

(C)Subject to subsection (d), not later than once during each of—

(i)the period beginning 180 days after the date of redeployment from the contingency operation and ending 18 months after such redeployment date; and

(ii)the period beginning 18 months after such redeployment date and ending 30 months after such redeployment date.

(2)A mental health assessment is not required for a member of the armed forces under subparagraph [1] (B) and (C) of paragraph (1) if the Secretary determines that—

(A)the member was not subjected or exposed to operational risk factors during deployment in the contingency operation concerned; or

(B)providing such assessment to the member during the time periods under such subparagraphs would remove the member from forward deployment or put members or operational objectives at risk.

(b) Purpose.— The purpose of the mental health assessments provided pursuant to this section shall be to identify post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidal tendencies, and other behavioral health conditions identified among members described in subsection (a) in order to determine which such members are in need of additional care and treatment for such health conditions.

(A)be performed by personnel trained and certified to perform such assessments and may be performed—

(i)by licensed mental health professionals if such professionals are available and the use of such professionals for the assessments would not impair the capacity of such professionals to perform higher priority tasks; and

(ii)by personnel at private facilities in accordance with section
1074(c) of this title;

(B)include a person-to-person dialogue between members described in subsection (a) and the professionals or personnel described by subparagraph (A), as applicable, on such matters as the Secretary shall specify in order that the assessments achieve the purpose specified in subsection (b) for such assessments;

(C)be conducted in a private setting to foster trust and openness in discussing sensitive health concerns;

(D)be provided in a consistent manner across the military departments; and

(E)include a review of the health records of the member that are related to each previous deployment of the member or other relevant activities of the member while serving in the armed forces, as determined by the Secretary.

(2)The Secretary may treat periodic health assessments and other person-to-person assessments that are provided to members of the armed forces, including examinations under section
1074f of this title, as meeting the requirements for mental health assessments required under this section if the Secretary determines that such assessments and person-to-person assessments meet the requirements for mental health assessments established by this section.

(d) Cessation of Assessments.— No mental health assessment is required to be provided to an individual under subsection (a)(1)(C) after the individual’s discharge or release from the armed forces.

(e) Sharing of Information.—

(1)The Secretary of Defense shall share with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs such information on members of the armed forces that is derived from confidential mental health assessments, including mental health assessments provided pursuant to this section and health assessments and other person-to-person assessments provided before the date of the enactment of this section, as the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs jointly consider appropriate to ensure continuity of mental health care and treatment of members of the armed forces during the transition from health care and treatment provided by the Department of Defense to health care and treatment provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(2)Any sharing of information under paragraph (1) shall occur pursuant to a protocol jointly established by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for purposes of this subsection. Any such protocol shall be consistent with the following:

(3)Before each mental health assessment is conducted under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the member is notified of the sharing of information with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under this subsection.

(f) Regulations.—

(1)The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the other administering Secretaries, shall prescribe regulations for the administration of this section.

(2)Not later than 270 days after the date of the issuance of the regulations prescribed under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall notify the congressional defense committees of the implementation of the regulations by the military departments.

Pub. L. 112–81, div. A, title VII, § 702(a)(3),Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1471, provided that: “The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe an interim final rule with respect to the amendment made by paragraph (1) [enacting this section], effective not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 31, 2011].”